Old Friends
by Saphire-Darkness
Summary: Cloud's old friend returns, barely alive, in the same situation as him. implied Zackxoc and Cloudxoc. If you would like it to become a love story, post a reviw : Takes place just before Advent Children. T just in case for mild sexual language
1. Chapter 1

**disclaimer: I do Not own Final Fantasy, I do not own Cloud or Zack (sadly), but I own Sylvia**

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Cloud ignored the small hum of his bike as he looked out towards the city. He was long done his runs, he just wanted silence. He didn't even notice the broken body laying not 2 yards away, drenched in blood. He didn't notice, that she held a dagger, given to her by Zack, and that this girl hadn't seen Cloud in at least 7 years. Her deep brown hair was covered in dried blood, and her silver eyes were ready to close, give up. She wore a turtle neck short sleeve like his, only she wore two long black sleeves, shorts, a long black skirt that split up at the front, and one shoulder armor. She wore only some leather shoes on her feet.

"Cloud," she whispered. Cloud whipped his head around, and froze. He quickly ran to the woman's side. "Who are you," he whispered to her and lifted her into his lap. The girl smiled weakly.

"You don't remember me, blondy?" she whispered back. He felt his mouth open slightly. It had been so long since someone had called him that. By one person only.

"Sylvia," he whispered softly. She nodded, then began to cough. She leaned off to the side, and thre up, blood spewing from her mouth. "What happened to you, Sylvia. You don't look well," he asked with the slightest concern. She gave a small laugh. He'd never been very emotional.

"I escaped."

His face hardened.

"From who?"

Silence.

"SOLDIER."

Another long silence, followed by Cloud standing with her frail body in his arms. "They picked you up after you left, that's why you've been gone," he stated numbly, remembering how he and Zack had done the same. Was she still asleep then? She stayed quiet.

He remembered their childhood as he sat her on his bike and sat behind her. He hadn't seen her in so long, yet he couldn't ask her a single question. He put his arms around her, and grasped the handles of his bike. She blushed a bit at the closeness they were sharing after not seeing each other since they were 10, or maybe it was blood loss. He had to smirk slightly as he let her lean back on his chest. she picked up her feet and rested them on part of the bike in front of her. He started the bike, and they were off. Sylvia clung tightly to his hands on the handles.

"Don't let go," Cloud whispered teasingly in her ear. She turned red, but listened anyway. she was holding so tightly, Cloud could see her knuckles were white, yet he couldn't feel her grasp. Why had she been selected for SOLDIER? She seemed so weak in comparison to a SOLDIER's normal condition. When they were close to town, Cloud stopped on the side of the dirt road and got off, putting up the kick stand. Sylvia was about to get off, but he stopped her. "Stay on," he commanded sternly. She didn't argue and lay back on the seat carefully while he pulled bandages from the side of his motorcycle. She glanced briefly towards him, and he stood over her. She blushed again as he lifted one of her arms and checked it over. Doing the same with her other arm, he then made her sit up.

"You have the Geostigma in your back." Sylvia flinched as He began to lift the edges of her shirt up. She didn't blush. They were used to this already, and she knew he wasn't like that. He ran his hands along many scars along her spine and he sighed, remembering similar inflicted wounds. He unwrapped some bandages and lifted her shirt up only a little farther, where he looked blankly at a large set of battle wounds. He began to steadily wrap her midsection in bandages, winding it around.

When he was done, she reached down and lifted his face. She hadn't seen his pure blue eyes in so long, it had left a pain in her chest. She held his face between her hands, but he looked away. She felt some strength return to her, and she made him stand so they were eyes to eye. "Cloud, please, look at me."

He remained still.

"How can I, when if it weren't for me, Zack would be alive," he answered bitterly. Sylvia bit her lip. She put her hand under his chin and lifted his chin. "I know he saved your life, so at least I know he died protecting something worth protecting," she said and smiled. He still didn't meet her gaze, but slowly he brought his eyes to hers.

They were the brightest icy sky blue she'd ever seen. She felt tears in her eyes to see her best friend again, and leaned towards him and held his head to her shoulder.

"You can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable. Life's like an hour glass glue to the table," she hummed softly. Cloud closed his eyes for a moment. He wished they were still younger, that Zack was alive. Sylvia knew that. She released him and he got back on the bike with her. The major wounds on her body were bandaged, so they could keep going. She'd gotten behind him this time and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head against his strong back. She was reminded of all the times the three used to lay out under the stars as the wind whipped up her matted hair. They were silent, all the way to the 7th Heaven Bar.

When they arrive, Cloud picked Sylvia up and piggybacked her in. Everyone in the bar turned to stare, but Sylvia, being the shy person she was, buried her head in Cloud's back, not wanting the attention.

"Cloud," someone called in a warning tone. That's all Sylvia remembered as she passed out from bloodloss.

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I was thinking about Final Fantasy, I think I'm going to rent Advent Children today if I can. 3 ZACK AND CLOUD FTW!

**Thank you for reading, please review, LONG LIVE ZACK AND CLOUD**


	2. Chapter 2

**disclaimer: I do Not own Final Fantasy, I do not own Cloud or Zack (sadly), but I own Sylvia**

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This chapter will be a whole bunch of flashbacks from Cloud, Sylvia, and Zack's childhood while Sylvia is a temporary coma. :) Enjoy!

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_"Zachary Fair, get your butt over here!" an eight year-old Sylvia yelled in front of his house. Beside her stood a silent Cloud, his hands in the pockets of his baggy pants. From the house came a loud battle cry, and the door slammed open. Out ran another 8 year-old boy with spiky raven hair and bright violet eyes. He ran up to Sylvia and lifted her up in his arms. She began to laugh and turn pink. "Z-zack, s-stop it!" she giggled as he tickled her._

_He laughed and lowered her to the ground. Beside them, Cloud looked...angry? Zack smiled and ruffled his blond hair, even though they were the same height. Cloud glared slightly at his friend and Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Would you two not start this again. Zack, leave him be," she defended._

_Zack only smiled lightly and looked at Sylvia. "You know Sylv, keep protecting him like this I might start to assume something," he joked. Sylvia glared and slapped him in the head before turning on her heel and walking away. Cloud looked at Zack._

_"That wasn't very nice Zack," he muttered. Zack smirked at him. _

_"What, she'll forgive me, she always forgives, she can't hold a grudge," he answered simply. Cloud sighed as the two boys began to walk in the direction their friend had left. Cloud wondered about what Zack had said. Did Sylvia like him?_

_The trio sat up on the roof of Zack's home. He was the only one who had two parents. Sylvia and Cloud lived with Cloud's mother. They looked up at the stars in the sky and sighed together. Ten year-old Sylvia turned to both of her friends. "Do you guys want to hear a song?" Zack sat up eagerly, while Cloud remained his usual silent self. She giggled a little. "Okay, but don't make fun of me."_

_"I won't, but I wouldn't be so sure about Zack," Cloud muttered. Sylvia laughed and lay her head on Cloud's stomach. Zack looked at the two of them and smiled. "Okay, Sylv, what song?"_

_Sylvia smiled and listened to Cloud's breathing while she thought. "OK, got one."_

_"Look at me, I will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter. Can it be I'm not ment to play this part?" she sang softly, and Cloud look at her and felt his heart flutter. "Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family's heart." When she sang family, she was thinking of Zack. He didn't know how she felt for Cloud, ever since he asked her two years ago._

_"Who, is that girl I see, staring straight, back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know. Somehow, I can not hide, who I am, though I've tried."_

_"When will my reflection show who I am inside. When will my reflection show, who I am...Inside," she finished. Zack clapped, and Cloud smiled faintly at her. Zack scooted closer and lifted Sylvia into his lap. Cloud frowned as her warmth disappeared. He hated that about Zack, he always took the things he liked away from him. Sylvia looked very uncomfortable in the situation she was in and sighed._

_"What do you guys want to be when you're older?" she asked. Cloud and Zack suddenly smiled at each other._

_"Heros," they answered in sync. She looked blankly at both of them. "Why" was all she said._

_Cloud sat up. "We want people to look up to us, and protet the people we care about. We've always felt looked down on, so we just want to proove people wrong," he explained with a small smile. Sylvia nodded._

_They'd make great heros._

_Sylvia stood in her room, packing the last of her things into a bag on the bed. She whiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry, Cloud, Zack." Her long dress reached her feet, a sleeveless blue sundress. On her bed was a black cloak, and she sat on the floor, and cried._

_The door opened, where two 13 year-old boys stood. They both looked so sad, and she couldn't help cry more, knowing they knew._

_"You can't leave," Zack whispered. She didn't look at him, and they approached her and sat with her. She looked at the floor, and more tears dripped off her face and onto the wood floors. Cloud put his arms around her, and she blushed the slightest pink. Zack did the same, and she continued to sob. She pulled free and stood up. Picking up her cloak and bag, she looked at them._

_"Move on," she choked out. "But don't forget our memories. Never forget your memories," she whispered. She walked forward and hugged each of them, kissing them on the cheeks. Without another word, she left._

_As Sylvia walked down the road, she sensed a presence, and turned to see a man in his thirties, wearing a strange uniform. "Sylvia Lark, you have been selected for the ranks of SOLDIER."_

_That's the last thing she remembered of the light, before she came to years of torture, and sleep, among the ranks of SOLDIER._

_Not long after she was placed in her slumber, Zack and Cloud had joined SOLDIER, unaware that there best friend was also in the facility. Every night, the two teens would sit alone and talk._

_"I wonder what happened to Sylvia," Zack whispered one night. Cloud sighed, in other words, he didn't want to talk about it. Zack knew Cloud Strife had loved her, but he'd never told her. Now, he couldn't ever do it. Zack also knew that Sylvia was there, at SOLDIER. He'd seen her one day, and handed her a dagger that he knew she'd remember him by, and she had only looked at him coldly, but he saw the pain in her eyes, before he walked away._

_Cloud looked at Zack, knowing there was something his friend wasn't telling him. "Zack, why do you think she left." Cloud never said her name, just her or she, never Sylvia. It was like taboo to him now. Zack frowned and furrowed his brow at Cloud._

_"I guess she wanted us to be safe," Cloud whispered. 'She loved you' was what he was really saying._

_"Or maybe she found her family." 'She wanted you to love her'_

_Cloud laid his head down and closed his eyes. "I just hope she's okay, wherever she is."_

_'I want her back.'_

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End of chapter :) I'm sorry if you find this kind of mushy, but I thought i would einteresting. The story is that Zack liked Sylvia, Sylvia liked Zack, and Cloud liked Sylvia, but she does start to fall for him later ;)

**Thank you for reading, please review, LONG LIVE ZACK AND CLOUD**


	3. Chapter 3

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**disclaimer: I do Not own Final Fantasy, I do not own Cloud or Zack (sadly), but I own Sylvia**

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Sylvia opened her eyes the slightest, hearing footsteps beside her...bed? She didn't remember being in a bed. She opened her eyes just a bit wider to see Cloud looming over her, a stern look (how surprising) on his face. Sylvia gave a small bitter smile. He didn't return her enthusiasm and sighed in frustration.

"You have geostigma," he hissed. He'd said this already, but in checking her over, he'd discovered about 2 other places. The smile faded from her lips and she slowly began to sit up. He put a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. He pulled off her sheets and pulled up her shirt to the bottom of her ribcage, and then the hair covering her forehead. Black and purple bruises covered her. He looked back at her eyes, now scared in comparison to his ice cold gaze.

"You're one to talk blondy," she growled back and his eyes widened. "Yea, I know, it's your arm," she whispered. He sat down in the chair near the bed and glared. She knew she'd won this one and covered up her geostigma again. It was then that Tifa walked in and smiled at her. "Hey there Sylvia, nice to see you're awake." She only nodded, but she remembered Tifa. She'd met her once when they were very young.

Tifa placed a tray on the table beside the bed and turned to Cloud. "You'll have to tell her eventually you know," she advised. Cloud gave her a 'yea I know' look before the woman left. Sylvia looked at him. "Tell me what, Cloud." Cloud didn't answer and looked at the floor. Sylvia was getting tired of being kept in the dark. She slipped out of bed and slightly limped over to him, knowing at least she'd regained some of her strength.

She stood in front of him and poked him repeatedly in the head. "Do you ever talk normally, cause it's kinda mean to ignore people," she said in her motherly voice. Cloud began to look up, only to be met by a flick to the forehead. He glared, and she knew she'd become an annoyance and smirked in satisfaction. He started to get up, but she grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down, though he was still a good 6 inches taller.

"You know Cloud, I thought you were more mature than this, but apparently instead of becoming more mature with age, you've become more childish. What do you think Zack would say?" She'd hit a nerve and he took her hand off his shoulder, got up, and left. Sylvia stood there, silent. She felt a single tear spill over her cheek. The first one in over 7 years.

"What would you say Zack. You always knew more about Cloud than I did," she whispered. She climbed out her window, picking up the dagger from her beside and went up to the roof. She sat up there and lay down, fingering the dagger. On it was Zack's emblem, and a message.

"Embrace your dreams, she read and smiled sadly. That's what he would've said. She held the dagger to her heart and lay down. The stars in the sky glistened, and she felt like he was watching over her. She then shuddered at the thought of him watching her every moment then laughed loudly. That was Zack, a slight pervert when he wanted to be. She thought back over when he gave her the dagger and smiled. "I miss you so much, Zack."

'I know,' the wind whispered and Sylvia shot up, then her expression softened and she closed her eyes. "I know you're watching over Cloud and me. You would've made a great hero too." she whispered. She didn't notice Cloud was watching, as she talked into the wind.

He felt a small pain in his heart, remembering their childhood. Zack had been his friend, brother, comrade. Now he was gone. "It's my fault," he whispered. Hearing him, Sylvia quickly stood with the dagger in a fighting stance.

"Who's there," she growled. Cloud stepped out from behind a stack of wooden crates on the roof and raised his hands in surrender. she lowered her stance. " Thought you were mad at me," she muttered. He glared.

"Dinner's ready," he said quietly and left. She shook her head and looked to the sky. "We grew up with a fickle boy, Zack," she whispered quietly and began to walk away. She thought she heard his laughter as a breeze blew through her hair.

She turned and looked over her shoulder, smiled, and jumped down (not too far, like 1 and a half floors). Walking in, she found Tifa working behind the bar and some other people there. Tifa handed her a plate of food. Sylvia thanked her and took a seat in one of the booths. As she began to eat, two burly men who looked around 40 took the seats beside and across from her. They looked ragged and drunk, never a good combination.

She just continued to eat, until she felt their eyes on her, and she felt something touch her butt. She turned and glared at the man next to her, who gave her a drunken smile and moved closer to her to put an arm around her. She glared. "Back off," she hissed threateningly. Thank goodness she had her dagger if she needed it.

"Why would I do that babe," he slurred. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and body.

"Just leave me alone," she muttered and continued to eat her meal, only to feel his breath on her neck. she turned to him, his face only some 4 inches away. "Leave now and I might spare your life," she growled. He laughed and patted her butt. She glared.

"Why don't you come home with me little bud, I'm sure your flower hasn't bloomed yet," he said in a drunken seducing voice. She turned beet red as he came closer to her, the other man snickering.

In a flash, She was lifted up, and the man was flat against the opposite wall. Sylvia looked over her shoulder to see it was Cloud who had just saved her from this man raping her in a bar. She shuddered at the thought. Cloud put her down and walked up to the ma, holding him by the front of his shirt.

"She said to leave her alone," he threatened. The man chuckled. "What 'ya gonna do 'bout it? She's probably jus' as temptin to 'ya as she is ta me." Cloud growled at him and punched him in the face, then let him fall to the ground. Sylvia quickly ran over before he could do more and wrapped her arms around him.

"Cloud, stop it! You shouldn't have done anything, I would've handled it," she whispered into his back. Tifa only watched. Cloud pulled off her arms and turned to her.

"So I should've just let him take you? I don't think so Sylvia, a friend would not do that," he pointed out. She shook her head.

"You know what , you're wrong. A friend would have trusted a friend that they could handle it, but apparently you don't know that, so maybe we never were friends!" she yelled and stormed out. The men quickly left afterwords after Cloud glared at them. Tifa approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Go after her Cloud, it's dangerous."

He shrugged her hand away and went upstairs.

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End chapter :) The idea is, Cloud thinks Sylvia is too weak to care for herself, so he's beating himself up for it.

**********Thank you for reading, please review, LONG LIVE ZACK AND CLOUD**

I just realized I'd labeled this doc incorrectly on my computer, I mixed it up with chapter 4...bloody brilliant


	4. Chapter 4

**disclaimer: I do Not own Final Fantasy, I do not own Cloud or Zack (sadly), but I own Sylvia**

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Sylvia ran out of the bar, and stopped a moment when she'd run a good half mile. It was raining, pouring around her. She was already soaked, drenched in the cold water. She began to cry, regretting everything she'd yelled at Cloud. She shouldn't have done that, but she couldn't help feeling that he was responsible. She remembered how much he blamed himself for Zack's death.

"Please come back home...Zack. I miss you so much, I'm hurting Cloud, I know I am. He saved me, and I yell in his face. I'm a horrible friend aren't I?" She felt a bit insane, standing in the middle of no where, talking to herself. She shuddered with tears. "Why did you guys have to run. Maybe if you'd left with me, you guys would still be here, like old times. You know I loved you, right Zack? You knew that, and yet you let me go anyway. You knew how Cloud felt," she whispered.

Cold rain came down in sheets, soaking her body. The wind did not blow, but somehow all the rain was falling around her. She remembered Zack saying once that her heart seemed to tame the wildest storms. She took a deep breath and slowed her heart. She found that as she did, the rain began to slow, until it was only a gentle sprinkle. She looked up at the stars and reached up. A soft breeze touched her fingers, almost like someone reaching out to her.

Cloud sat on fenrir outside the church. The rain had stopped. He slowly slipped off and sighed, running his hand through his soaked blond hair. Why did Sylvia snap at him like that? Maybe he deserved it, he shouldn't have snapped at her like that. He entered the church and took a deep breath as he walked to the small meadow of flowers and lay in the middle of it. He looked up at the stars, and closed his eyes. Everything seemed so serene around him. He wondered if she would ever forgive him. He then remembered what Zack used to say.

"She has to forgive, she can't hold grudges," he whispered. He knew that had to be true, since she cared so much for Zack and him. They were like family to him. Thinking back, he realized he'd only said her name once since he'd found her yesterday. Zack had mentioned that once about Cloud thinking her name was taboo after she left. When ever Zack said her name during their time in SOLDIER, it was usually followed by some incident, either involving Zack himself or Cloud. Eventually they had learned not to say her name at all.

"Now I've been punished," he whispered. It was true, an argument usually counted for the affects of taboo, at least in Zack's opinion. Cloud sighed and stretched his arms out above his head. "I still never told her how I felt," he whispered. It probably didn't matter. She still loved Zack. That thought had made him keep his emotions sealed up from anyone. He'd never considered telling her, but should he, when she might still be grieving?

All he could do was think that maybe she would feel the same...eventually. for now, he lay in the flowers, listening to the soft sounds of night. He took a deep breath and sat up, deciding to take Tifa's advice.

"I have to go find her," he whispered to himself.

Sylvia had collapsed long ago from exhaustion and lay tired on the gorund, letting the cool air swirl around her.

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_I'm so tired. _

_I figured as much. _

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_Z-zack? Is that you? _

_No, I'm a soul stealer. Of course it's me! _

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_I thought- _

_I can still talk to you, sort of like a guardian angel. _

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_So, I have been hearing you. _

_More or less I suppose. _

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_That does not make any sense Zack. _

_Yea it does, trust me. _

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_I do, I always have. _

_Then trust what I have to say now, listen to Cloud, he knows what he's talking about. He cares about you more than you consider, and he wants you safe. _

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_I know, I- _

_No, you don't know, cause otherwise you guys would've kissed already. _

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_WHAT? _

_Whoops, I'm not supposed to say stuff like that...Dang, I'm in trouble. _

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_...Zack, I miss you so much. _

_I miss you to Syl, more than you know. _

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_I- _

_Don't say that you know, cause you don't know everything Sylvia Lark. The world is full of mysteries, and you can't solve all of them. That includes your own. _

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_What are you trying to say Zacky? _

_Aww, don't pull the nickname on me! _

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_Zacky, Wacky, Zappy. _

**_...Wow Zack, you are just like Cloud, guys never seem to mature. _**

_Not what I meant Syl, just go after him so he doesn't get hurt. He's been hiding his geostigma the entire time he's had it. He hasn't even told Tifa. You're the only one who can help him now. _

**_Me? _**

_Yea, now, please, if not for Cloud's sake, for mine. you guys need each other, now more than ever. _

**_Alright. I love you Zack. _**

_I know Sylvia, I love you too, always have. _

With that, the voice disappeared from her mind, and she stood again with new found strength in her body. She had to find Cloud. It was then that she realized that the entire time she was talking to Zack, his dagger was held to her heart.

She began to run, holding the dagger in one hand, holding Zack's spirit as though he was holding her hand, running beside her. When she was within sight of the church, maybe a half mile or so, she heard the roar of fenrir's engine, and stopped. Pulling up in front of her was Cloud, looking as though he'd just discovered himself. His blond hair was a bit of a mess, and his eyes were...scared and frightened. As soon as the bike stopped, she ran to him and threw her arms around his mid-section, and cried.

Cloud stood in confusion for a moment, before he slowly put his arms around her. "Please stop crying, Sylvia," he said soothingly and rubbed large circles on her back.

"I don't deserve you Cloud," she sobbed. He shushed her and just tried to calm her down. They just stood there, until her sobs slowed to long breaths. she felt like she might fall asleep standing in his arms. They separated and looked into each other's eyes.

"I'm sorry," they said in sync. Sylvia laughed a little.

"You were right, Cloud. I should have listened to what you said back there. I'm really sorry. Will you forgive me?" He looked shocked.

"I guess we're even then, because I was about to say the same," he whispered and hugged her.

"Zack would be proud of you," Cloud whispered. Sylvia couldn't help but smile into his chest.

"I know."

They both could've sworn they heard Zack laughing in the distance, floating on his angel wings.

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End of chapter :) Sooo, what did you think? should I end the story here as a friendship fiction? Or make it into a love story? I need more ideas, but I think I'll introduce the city if I continue, to where Cloud kills Sephiroth, and maybe Sylvia comes close to death and Zack saves her. 


	5. author

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******************I'm very sorry if you found the content of the story, I hadn't seen the movie in a whie and I just realized what a mess it is...lol.**

******************FYI:**

******************Theis story took take place sometime inbetween after Zack and Aerith's death, that...battle (I can't remember), and when Denzel is diagnosed with geostigma, so I'll start the sequal at the beginning of the movie, with a prologue of something that happened the night prior to Denzel's diagnosis and the beginning with the movie...**

******************I'm watching the movie now, So I'll set an update up if need be.**

******************deepest apologies to readers and reviewers**

******************~Saphire-Darkness**

**********************Author's note:**

**update-june 24th 2010**

I just realized where my sequal is taking place. It will be about a week before the start of Advent Children (movie). So, Denzel has the stigma, Cloud has the stigma, and Denzel has been with them for a few motnhs I'd say, I've only re-watched half the movie...


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